NATIONAL LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9126, 22 April 1908, Page 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF NEW ZEALAND.

THE FIRST CONFERENCE. —Per Press Association. Wellington, April 31. The first conference of the National League of New Zealand opened here to-day. . Mr J, P. Firth was elected chairman, and Mr R. M. Hacket secretary. . . . , The report of the executive stated that the League was started in Auckland in August, 1906, to advocate the training of the youth of the Dominion for defence purposes. After twenty mouths the' executive was satisfied that the public tone on the matter was healthy. The League has 6200 individual members, and 400 donors, making a total of 6600, Of these 4149 are in the Auckland province, 882 in Taranaki. 858 in'Hawke’s Bay, 298 in Canterbury, 188 in Westland, 185 in Otago, and 188 in Nelson' and Marlborough. There are 56 branches in various parts of the Dominion. The treasurer lias received in donations £B6B _ 7s, and in membership subscriptions £359 Bs, a total of £1221 16s. The executive has made three efforts, by tiie employment of paid organisers, to spread the (movement throughout the Dominion. Several of the League’s branches had devoted attention to the encouragement of rifle shooting, and had established miniature ranges, while medals for marksmanship had been provided out of a special fund collected in Auckland for the purpose. In May last deputations from the General Council of the League waited on the Minister for Education and the Minister for Defence, and urged Government assistance for miniature _ ranges. Subsequently, the Education Department issued a circular offering a subsidy of £ for £ for the establishment of miniature ranges at public schools, but applications for the subsidy have been declined on the ground that the Department is considering the matter with a view to having a universal system of outdoor ranges established at the schools. The report and balance-sheet was adopted without discussion. A resolution was adopted warmly oonßnending the Auckland executive for its work. It was resolved that there be established District Councils at Auckland, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Hokitika, Christchurch, Wanganui, Dunedin, and Invercargill—the territorial limits of each district council to be defined, ftud from time to time varied by the General Council. It was proposed that the objects of the League be defined as follows To ensure domestic _ peace and security from all possible invasion by obtaining the national adoption of the following safeguards: Universal defensive training, either ashore or afloat, of all boys and young men until the age of 21, with the encouragement of continued training. All’meu engaged in every branch of the" local maritime and waterside industries to be licensed in preference in all State employment and licensed occupations _to British citizens who fulfil special training conditions; rifle ranges to be provided in every township, and Morris tube ranges in every urban and suburban school district; sufficient rifles to be kept in the country to arm every capable citizen, and sufficient ammunition in suitable centres to make all riflemen effective for defence ; and any other legitimate means for strengthening national defence. Various arrangements were made for furthering these objects, and for organisation. The annual subscription was fixed at one shilling. The Council is to arrange for the free delivery to subscribers of the monthly journal “Defence.” It was decided that the head [office of the League be at Auckland, and it was decided to ask the Minister of Defence to adddress the League,